"Behold, they say to me, 'Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come!'" (Jer. 17:15, ESV).
"And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?" (1 Cor. 14:8, ESV).
"... When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up" (1 Cor. 14:26, ESV).
NOTE TYPES OF PROPHET CALLS
Micah's commission: "But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin" (Micah 3:8, ESV).
Jeremiah"s ordination: "... 'Look, I have put my words in your mouth!'" (Jer. 1:9, NLT).
Jonah's call: "'Get up and go to the great a city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are'" (Jonah 1:2, NLT).
Isaiah's dedication: "The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary" (Isaiah 50:4, NKJV).
Amos's conscription: "But Amos replied, 'I'm not a professional prophet, and I was never trained to be one. I'm just a shepherd, and I take care of sycamore-fig trees. But the LORD called me away from my flock and told me, 'God and prophesy to my people in Israel'" (Amos 7:14-15, NLT).
Admonition: "Don't be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, 'This is what the LORD of Heavens Armies says: Turn from all your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices" (Zechariah 1:4, NLT).
Amos prophesies of a coming time when men will thirst for a word from the LORD and not be satisfied: "... they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it" (Amos 8:12, ESV). Yes, there shall be a famine in the land, but not for food, but for the hearing of the Word of God (cf. Amos 8:11), because there will no prophets to warn the people of their sin and denounce it. Ezekiel says: "... for they hear what you say, but they will not do it. When this comes--and come it will!--then they will know that a prophet has been among them" (Ezek. 33:32-33, ESV). Truly, "... a people without understanding will come to ruin" (cf. Hosea 4:14, ESV).
When we pass on what we hear from God He reveals more and we must keep the channel turned on to His frequency; i.e., keep in touch and stay in fellowship--abiding in Christ! Actually, with the rise of prophets, we see the light and there is also the rise of false prophets, saying just what the people of God want to hear with their itching ears. Lack of prophets in the land can be a sign of judgment, and even in the church we have those who prophesy in the Spirit, edifying the body, lifting up the Lord and speaking forth the Word; for prophets don't just foretell the future, but they forth-tell the Word to edification (i.e., building up--telling it like it is!), even denouncing sin and afflicting the comforted in Zion (those with complacency), while comforting the afflicted (those who see their need per Isa. 40:1)) with the good news from the Lord. "Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly?" (Micah 2:7, ESV).
We all need to be built up in the faith and the prophet can interpret the times and often warns the body, able to discern truth (note 1 Chronicles 12:32, NKJV, which says, "of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were 200...."). The official office of prophet was instituted by Samuel, the first of the prophets and last of the judges, as it were, and the primary task they had or job description, was to speak to the people on behalf of God, while the priest primarily spoke to God on behalf of the people, often interceding and offering corporate confession for Israel or Judah. We don't have the office of prophet in the church or body of Christ, but we have the gift to prophesy in the name of the Lord to edification.
The prophets had a thankless job that was to tell news no one wanted to hear, it was rarely good, but pronouncements of judgments and sometimes they were even known as doomsayers. If the prophet spoke against Jerusalem it was considered unpatriotic, like what happened to brave Jeremiah, who was subsequently thrown into a pit. The Israelites and Jews rejected the prophets, they killed most of them, and Jesus was their last chance to respond (cf. Deut. 18:18), and they rejected Him.
The fourfold purpose and calling of a prophet was to expose sin, call people back to God, warn of impending judgment, anticipate the Messiah (prophecies had present and future implications and interpretations). The church doesn't have the office of prophet per se, but the gift of prophecy to edify and interpret the times is still available and valid. If you have heard of the time-interpreting expository preaching of Charles Colson, you'll realize what a modern-day prophet he was.
Hosea says, "... the prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad" (Hosea 9:7, ESV). You may have heard that in a mad world, only the mad are sane--well, the prophet was the only one who was right, and the whole nation was often in rebellion--God challenged Jeremiah to find just one just man in Jerusalem! The end result is that the rebels won't find the Lord: "... they shall go to seek the LORD, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them" (Hosea 5:6, ESV). We get the prophets, teachers, and leaders we deserve, according to Micah 2:11! The principle lesson to heed is that, when light is ignored or refused, it's taken away! Soli Deo Gloria! Hallelujah! Amen!
"And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?" (1 Cor. 14:8, ESV).
"... When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up" (1 Cor. 14:26, ESV).
NOTE TYPES OF PROPHET CALLS
Micah's commission: "But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin" (Micah 3:8, ESV).
Jeremiah"s ordination: "... 'Look, I have put my words in your mouth!'" (Jer. 1:9, NLT).
Jonah's call: "'Get up and go to the great a city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are'" (Jonah 1:2, NLT).
Isaiah's dedication: "The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary" (Isaiah 50:4, NKJV).
Amos's conscription: "But Amos replied, 'I'm not a professional prophet, and I was never trained to be one. I'm just a shepherd, and I take care of sycamore-fig trees. But the LORD called me away from my flock and told me, 'God and prophesy to my people in Israel'" (Amos 7:14-15, NLT).
Admonition: "Don't be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, 'This is what the LORD of Heavens Armies says: Turn from all your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices" (Zechariah 1:4, NLT).
Amos prophesies of a coming time when men will thirst for a word from the LORD and not be satisfied: "... they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it" (Amos 8:12, ESV). Yes, there shall be a famine in the land, but not for food, but for the hearing of the Word of God (cf. Amos 8:11), because there will no prophets to warn the people of their sin and denounce it. Ezekiel says: "... for they hear what you say, but they will not do it. When this comes--and come it will!--then they will know that a prophet has been among them" (Ezek. 33:32-33, ESV). Truly, "... a people without understanding will come to ruin" (cf. Hosea 4:14, ESV).
When we pass on what we hear from God He reveals more and we must keep the channel turned on to His frequency; i.e., keep in touch and stay in fellowship--abiding in Christ! Actually, with the rise of prophets, we see the light and there is also the rise of false prophets, saying just what the people of God want to hear with their itching ears. Lack of prophets in the land can be a sign of judgment, and even in the church we have those who prophesy in the Spirit, edifying the body, lifting up the Lord and speaking forth the Word; for prophets don't just foretell the future, but they forth-tell the Word to edification (i.e., building up--telling it like it is!), even denouncing sin and afflicting the comforted in Zion (those with complacency), while comforting the afflicted (those who see their need per Isa. 40:1)) with the good news from the Lord. "Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly?" (Micah 2:7, ESV).
We all need to be built up in the faith and the prophet can interpret the times and often warns the body, able to discern truth (note 1 Chronicles 12:32, NKJV, which says, "of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were 200...."). The official office of prophet was instituted by Samuel, the first of the prophets and last of the judges, as it were, and the primary task they had or job description, was to speak to the people on behalf of God, while the priest primarily spoke to God on behalf of the people, often interceding and offering corporate confession for Israel or Judah. We don't have the office of prophet in the church or body of Christ, but we have the gift to prophesy in the name of the Lord to edification.
The prophets had a thankless job that was to tell news no one wanted to hear, it was rarely good, but pronouncements of judgments and sometimes they were even known as doomsayers. If the prophet spoke against Jerusalem it was considered unpatriotic, like what happened to brave Jeremiah, who was subsequently thrown into a pit. The Israelites and Jews rejected the prophets, they killed most of them, and Jesus was their last chance to respond (cf. Deut. 18:18), and they rejected Him.
The fourfold purpose and calling of a prophet was to expose sin, call people back to God, warn of impending judgment, anticipate the Messiah (prophecies had present and future implications and interpretations). The church doesn't have the office of prophet per se, but the gift of prophecy to edify and interpret the times is still available and valid. If you have heard of the time-interpreting expository preaching of Charles Colson, you'll realize what a modern-day prophet he was.
Hosea says, "... the prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad" (Hosea 9:7, ESV). You may have heard that in a mad world, only the mad are sane--well, the prophet was the only one who was right, and the whole nation was often in rebellion--God challenged Jeremiah to find just one just man in Jerusalem! The end result is that the rebels won't find the Lord: "... they shall go to seek the LORD, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them" (Hosea 5:6, ESV). We get the prophets, teachers, and leaders we deserve, according to Micah 2:11! The principle lesson to heed is that, when light is ignored or refused, it's taken away! Soli Deo Gloria! Hallelujah! Amen!